Paper title: Advocacy, Education, and Action: The Wikipedia Saves Public Art Case Study

Abstract:

Although Wikipedia Saves Public Art (WSPA) was created as a teaching system for the IUPUI Museum Studies Program, it has become clear that Wikipedia's potential as a tool for advocacy and education is largely untapped for cultural institutions.

True, Wikipedia cannot physically save public art, but through the process of defining and documenting cultural property within Wikipedia we can raise awareness about its existence, meaning, and context. Further, the examination, research, and documentation required for Wikipedia articles is similar to that which is undertaken by many museum professionals. In this way, the act of creating an article in Wikipedia becomes an act of caring for cultural property.

This paper will discuss the outcomes of WSPA to date, explain its current iteration, and give concrete examples how cultural institutions can use it to share information and data about cultural property.

Presenters:

Richard McCoy is Associate Conservator of Objects & Variable Art at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where he conserves artworks across all areas of the collection. McCoy’s research extends beyond the technology and structure of artworks to include artistic intent and execution as it relates to the preservation of contemporary art. His current research includes the examination of interior channels in African Songye power figures, finding new ways to document conservation work, and raising awareness for conservation projects through the use of web-based technologies. A former Fulbright Scholar to Spain, McCoy studied journalism and political science at Indiana University, Bloomington, and received his MA from NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts Conservation Center. 

Lori Byrd Phillips is a graduate student in the IUPUI Museum Studies Program with a background in Social Studies education. She holds a BA in History from George Mason University.  Phillips has worked on multiple NEH grants, including a curriculum development initiative for the Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh.  As a project leader for WSPA, she is developing resources that will allow museums to utilize Wikipedia to share their research and collections with a wider audience.  Phillips is currently completing an internship at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, serving as their In-House Wikipedian.